


A Hero's Shade

by BraveheartZX



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:48:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26601691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BraveheartZX/pseuds/BraveheartZX
Summary: The Hero of Time's untimely demise.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	A Hero's Shade

**Author's Note:**

> this one is very important to me. i REALLY hope you like it. please let me know! give feed back!

I'd been sent to the Lost Woods this morning to clear out monsters, requested by the Kokiri. Recently, they've been quite eager to leave the forest… Even Mido, Who I still haven't told him that I was the same boy he so enjoyed to bully every day. But he changed. It was actually him who reported the recent surge in monsters, all by himself, too. 

"It's what Saria and Link would have wanted." 

That's what he said to me, shaggy golden locks hanging in front of his eyes, with a great big smile on his face. Heh… It makes me nostalgic actually. But enough of that. I have monsters to dispose of.

There were a few when I arrived at the meadow. Nothing but a few Wolfos every so often. But that was usual. They prey on those who seem to be lost. One of them ran off, but this was my post. I am not permitted to leave. It's better to wait until nighttime, especially for Wolfos. I'd better set up camp here for the night.

…

The fire lit up my face behind the helmet. The injury across my right eye was sensitive to temperature. My face, scarred with the red and blue markings of the godly power I had only once used, glistened with sweat. I enjoy my job as a knight but Hylia, this armor was too hot. 

Rustle rustle… *crack!*

I instantly turn and stand my guard where the noise came from… One large Stalfos. 

Two more.

Two packs of Wolfos.

Three brigades of Stalchildren. 

Where in the world did they come from? O take a deep breath, readying my blade. A few Wolfos and a brigade of Stalchildren dash at me first. 

Nothing a spin attack couldn't handle.

One Wolfos flipped back, seemingly more aware of the situation than the others… Was it that one from earlier? Did it lead them here?

No time to think about that.

I baited it's attack out and plunged my blade into it's open chest. Yanking it out, I heard the Stalchildren laugh and cackle from behind me, slashing at my back. It wasn't enough to pierce the armor, but I just had this thing touched up. Come on…

The Stalfos watched me. Their soulless gaze filling me with dread. They weren't attacking me… Just watching. What was their plan here?

I slash back at the second group of Stalchildren, but one of them managed to get a decent hit on my leg, making my swing a little less impactful, enabling them to survive the attack. The Wolfos howled and sprinted at my back, sinking their claws and fangs deep into the armor, making contact with my skin. Gritting my teeth, I hurl my back into a tree. Knocked the wind out of myself, sure, but at least they're off of me now. One of the Wolfos charged at me, but I bashed it with my shield. Tripping over it's fallen brethren, another made an attempt to literally get the jump on me. Nnk! 

Two more Wolfos pounce on me. Gnawing at the armor, piercing it. So that one was just a distraction, huh? Pretty coordinated for a bunch of soulless demons. Though I felt the sharp pain throughout my back, it didn't slow me down. I'd done this before. Well, a few times. Including just a minute ago. This chainmail wasn't much help though. An extra layer of protection, sure, but it's useless against these enemies. 

Minutes pass. I'm not in a better position. Only a few of them are left, but I'm cornered. The cackling of the Stalchildren averts my gaze from the Stalfos' empty eyes, distracting me for just long enough that another Wolfos started tearing through the back of the armor. 

"Nngh…" I feel the blood trickle down my back. I can feel it ripping at scars, which honestly just hurt more. I had to get out of here though. No chance was I letting myself fall here, or letting them live. Crying out a familiar "Hyah!" as if I were still young, I take out the remaining Stalchildren, and in the process shaking off the Wolfos. Two of them remain, as one of the Stalfos readies itself, making its way towards me.

Needless to say, not what I need.

We eye each other down, circling for a few moments. I hear the clouds rumble in the distance, a familiar sign of rain. Maybe it'll wash off most of this blood so she doesn't kill m-

Why am I worrying about that? 

I predict the Stalfos' swing, and punish it with a swing of my own, then doubling back, going down hard on the Wolfos. One survives, but another Stalfos attempts to catch me off guard. I lead it's comrade's blade straight to its neck. 

Just one versus three… I've done this before. Under better circumstances, though… I wait for one of them to attack, so I can roll behind them, swiping at their open back, I call that the Back Slice. While it's stunned, I swiftly spin to push back the other Stalfos, and perform my Jump Strike, ending one of them quickly, and damaging the other two minimally before the duel begins. 

Except, they planned something different.

They weren't waiting any longer. It was their only path to victory left.

Let the battle begin.

They charged, swiping in unison. I backflipped out of the way, realizing how dire the situation really was. My leg was in bad shape. Landing nearly made me fall to my side. I furrowed my brows and bit my lip, hiding the fact it could be a weak spot. Probably to no avail, but it's better than allowing it to be made too obvious. 

The fight dragged on for what felt like another hour. I'd worn them both down, but they'd worn me down as well. Significantly. I kicked one down to the ground, and did a finishing blow. 

Just one left.

My knuckles popped and cracked as my grip tightened on my sword. Panting, I point the tip of the blade to the Stalfos, as it does the same. It seemed like it knew what began an official duel in Hyrule. I suppose they too were knights like me once. Now corrupted with the hatred of Him. 

Steel clashing against steel, sparks flying in the dark of night like fireworks. I see my opening and perform my Helm Splitter, landing behind the enemy, going down on one knee. I heard the Stalfos crumble and break, as I myself am on the brink of crumbling and breaking.

I stab my sword in the wet ground for stability to stand. My legs shake and give out, my beaten body falling into the mud. I guess I'm not standing… I spot a tree very closeby, crawling to it and eventually dragging myself up to sit against it. A breath of relief and exhaustion exits my mouth. 

My entire body hurts. I'm bleeding profusely, and in the middle of the night too.

I was used to help not coming. I was always on my own. There were plenty of things to be happy for though, if I were to die here. I've lived what felt like two lifetimes, the latter of which being more than I ever could have asked for. I said my goodbyes to my forest friends on my own terms, did everything on my own accord. Not to say I don't like what I did. I saved everyone, even if they'll never know. My wife believes every word I've said to her about it. The way I knew Epona's song was more than enough to make her trust me all those years ago.

I hope she forgives me.

For dying here. 

When she makes it home to me, I'm sure I'll never hear the end of it. Even Hylia herself will hear her scolding me.. Ahah… 

When I laugh to myself I cough up blood. Taking a deep breath, I lead my hand over a wound in my stomach. It stings. 

I never got the recognition my darling says I deserved. I never got to hand down my skills to the next generation. I never got to say goodbye.

I'm sorry, Princess. Your most trusted knight fell in such an embarrassing way. Truly unbefitting of someone like me. 

I'm sorry, Epona. You're still an old girl in retirement but you'll always be my steed.

I'm sorry, son. I never was there for you, was I? No… Always busy with work. I loved you, and I hope you know that. I'm so proud of you. Forgive me.

And lastly… I'm sorry, Darling… You've given me consolation, company, shelter, warm food every night, and anything I've ever needed. You've given me a family. What have I given to you in return…? Nothing could ever amount to all you've given me, dear. I wish I could've made it up to you. To hold you one final time, to tell you I loved you more than anything in the entire world. I was undeserving of you. 

I cough up one more time before I see the face of Hylia in front of me, holding out her hand. She's smiling. A spitting image of Princess Zelda, with all of her grace amplified by her aura. I'm too weak to lift up my arm. But she must've seen the expression on my face, because I was blessed to hear her voice.

"O' Hero of Time. Golden Wolf of Hyrule. Your courage lasted you until the bittermost end. For that I thank you. For saving my people and our world. I know you have your regrets. And there is one thing I can do that is within my power to help you." Her smile grows, divine hair flowing in the light. I raise my brow in response.

"When the time comes for a new hero, you will teach them your skills." Who would have thought? Hylia herself, causing divine intervention, for me. Must be because I was the hero. "There is a catch, however. When the new hero is born, I will have to put your spirit back here. You must wait and find them when the time is right." I nod. I have to. This is all I can do. 

"Then let us be off, then." Hylia's warm hands grab my own cold and bloodied ones. My spirit is relieved from my physical body, and I watch my own eyes glaze over.

The Hero of Time is dead. 

Forever a Hero's Shade.


End file.
